If your Asian pear is self-fertile then one is enough. But sometimes it could be self-fertile in one place but not in another. How about grafting a pollinator. What type of pear do you have? Grafting pear is quite easy, they are very forgiving and would easily take. Then you don't need to buy a while pear. Just get a stick from some members here. Here's how to graft pear as a sample:

Here is a link that might be useful: Limb bark grafting

Thank you so much for the video and information! I just took a peek at it but will look more closely tomorrow. I have grafted once before so not afraid to try it. Very good suggestion - I should have thought of that.

This is what I read regarding pollination: Many Asian pear varieties are considered partially self-fruitful, meaning that they can produce up to a 15 percent crop from self-pollination, but it is always best to plant at least two varieties to ensure cross-pollination and full cropping potential.

Thanks again!!
Ginny

if you go to the raintree nursery website they have carts showing which asian pears will pollinate the others.

My Asian pears set way way to many fruit even when I've had only one cultivar. And they are a pain to thin. The foliage and little fruits are so thick you cann't see what you're doing. A 15% set would sound about ideal to me. Why not wait and see what kind of a crop sets.

The Fruitnut

Ginny:

I agree with the Fruitnut. I have 3 Asian pear varieties here, and several Europeans (which I suspect will also pollinate the Asians), and they overset so heavily that I spend hours clipping them off with a little scissors, then go back and do it again a week or so later. If I don't, they will overload and break branches, and, of course, the fruits will be smaller.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with adding one or more varieties too your tree just for the pure fun of it, or to widen your variety choices. Joe has trees of various types with dozens of varieties grafted here and there, which I always thought must be kind of fun to do.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Thank you all for your help in this matter. I especially liked hearing that it should produce fine without a pollinator. Even grafting would be a challenge as would finding a spot for another tree. I certainly don't need alot of fruit as my family is small.

I spent time last night reading about pruning Asian Pears and enjoyed reading the discussion some of you on GardenWeb had on the subject. In fact when I googled "prune Asian Pears" your discussion came up. Oh, the power of the web!

I would like to post a picture of my tree and get your advice for pruning but have to review the steps to post pictures. Will do so in a day or two hopefully.

Have a great day.

Ginny

I have exactly same problem as Ginny. For some reason, I also thought I only need one asian pear! I only had one pear last year. I think mine is one of Japanese type, round, brownish fruit. I never thought of Graft. I will definately try it. My local nursery told me that mine is definitely not 20th century. Could somebody here give me a stick of 20th century? Thank you so much!

Is this grafting difficult for us beginners ?? Does it work with other fruit treees, or are pears easier than others??

Jerry

How does the pollen get from one Asian pear tree to the other, by the wind? I have never seen a bee visit any of my Asian pear tree blossoms, while I see dozens of them on my nectarine trees. I have been trying to hand pollinate them using a brush but I think I spread fireblight doing that that killed my Hosui, so am not doing it anymore. The year I didn't hand pollinate I didn't get any fruit, maybe just a coincidence? I had a Shinseki, 20th Century, and the Hosui that died. The Hosui was the best producer, making full size fruit. The Shinseki and 20Th century make tiny fruit that ants usually eat their way into from the stem end, ruining the fruit. I bought these trees from a nursery that has a no return policy so I am stuck with them.